Fort to host trail cooking event

The Fort Griffin State Historical Site is hosting “Trail Driver Cooking: Historic Foodways of the Western Trail,” a special outdoor cooking event, on Saturday, May 25.

Those who attend the demonstration will be able to watch cooks prepare authentic trail driver food and then be able to sample the prepared chuckwagon cuisine.

“Prior to the chuckwagon, cowboys relied upon mostly dried beef and biscuits stored in their saddle bags for food,” said program specialist Eric Abercrombie. “However, when the cattle drives began shortly after the Civil War, ranchers had to get longhorn beef from Texas to distant markets. It became necessary to bring along a mobile kitchen so the drivers were well fed, enabling them to put in long hours along the trail.”

The cooking event will begin at 10:00 a.m. on the lawn outside the fort’s museum and will end at 2:00 p.m.

The chuckwagon, complete with a pantry stowed on back, assorted cast iron cookware, and various utensils, became an absolute necessity, according to Abercrombie.

“Join us as we demonstrate trail driver cooking,” said Abercrombie. “Samples will be provided, so come early if you want to fill your belly with food from the trail.”